The Perfect Peanut Butter Black Bean Brownie

Added to a vegetarian enchilada or toss with a little quinoa, corn, and salsa for an easy side dish.

Black beans are one of my favorite “go-to” foods and staples in my kitchen, but yesterday they took on a whole other identity. Blended with a little dark chocolate cocoa, peanut butter, honey, and a few other baking essentials, a simple can of black beans became a major component of a classic decadent dessert, brownies.

A few tips before attempting to make your own black bean brownies (because I had failed a few times in the past myself)….

1. Blend, blend, then blend again. You want your “brownie batter” to be smooth as silk and in fact mimic regular brownie batter. My first mistake when I tried making homemade black bean brownies was I underestimated just how smooth the batter should be. After tasting a little piece of bean skin in my brownie, my stomach immediately lost its appetite and the “brownie vibe” turned back into a a weird texture and taste of beans trying to be a brownie.

2. Do not skimp on your sweetening agent! Your are already ridding your batter of flour, butter, and oil. The batter needs a sweetening agent to actually pull off the brownie flavor. I used a combination of honey and light brown sugar as my sweetener.

Now for the recipe! Add your own favorite brownie toppings to make this recipe your own! Enjoy and happy baking 🙂

Ingredients:

1 15oz can no added salt black beans, rinsed

1/2 cup special dark chocolate cocoa powder (unsweetened)

1/2 cup light brown sugar

1/4 cup honey

1/4 cup oats

2 egg whites

3/4 tsp vanilla extract

1 heaping Tbsp unsalted peanut butter

pinch of salt

1/4 cup chocolate chips

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

2 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk

1/4 over-ripe banana

Pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Add all ingredients to a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Lightly grease a small baking dish and evenly distribute your batter. I added a little extra peanut butter swirl on top of the batter before baking, but additional toppings such as chocolate chips, nut butters, or nuts are optional. Bake your brownies for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center. Be careful not to over-bake!